Father of My Son
by WingsOfMorphius
Summary: In his late twenties, Vlad decided to take his revenge on Jack that causes an accident that ends with death. But in a twist of fate, he comes across a very unique survivor in the wreck the infant half ghost Danny.-Discontinued-
1. Bittersweet Revenge

**WoM- _I've gotten a ton of people excited about this one, so I figured I should post ASAP. I made some slight changes from my original plan, since I didn't have the heart to go through with one aspect of it, but other then that it's just what I've been telling you it is. As usual, I have absolutely no claim to the totally awesome show Danny Phantom, or any of its marvelous characters._**

**BIG_ thanks to _Nom de Plume_ for beta-ing this for me! _(hugs)_ She's been doing an awesome job at fixing my horrible grammar/spelling!_**

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_"Most of us become parents long before we have stopped being children."_

_**- Mignon McLaughlin**_

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**Bittersweet Revenge**

"Coochy coo!" Jack cooed as he tickled the infant's stomach, making the baby giggle as he kicked his feet. Maddie shook her head in amusement as she watched from the door, a box propped against her waist.

"Now, Jack," she scolded lightly. "Leave the baby alone for a minute and help me unpack! You know I can't carry the heavy things in alone."

"Got it, Baby!" Jack grinned widely at his wife. "Just a second…" Maddie watched curiously as her husband lumbered to the other side of the room to pick up a remote-like device, pressing a button on it to activate a steady green glow around the infant's crib. Maddie frowned at the display.

"Jack Fenton, what on Earth is that?" she demanded pointedly, giving the husky man a stern look.

"That?" Jack repeated proudly. "Why, it's the Fenton Crib Guard! Guaranteed to keep a baby from falling out of its crib and keep any ghosts at bay!" Maddie sighed, running a hand through her hair.

"Danny isn't a year old yet, Jack," Maddie reminded her husband in a tired voice. "He's too little to climb out of his crib even if he wanted to. And I doubt any ghosts would want anything to do with a baby, sweetie."

"Well, better safe than sorry!" Jack stated cheerfully, walking past his wife and down the stairs. Maddie followed after one last hesitant glance at their new son.

"I don't know, Jack," she said reluctantly. "I'm not sure I like having any experiments around the baby…"

"Now, Maddie," Jack soothed his wife, "You know I wouldn't have put any of that up if I wasn't sure it was safe!" Maddie smiled slightly, hugging her husband.

"Yes," she said, resting her head on his shoulder, "I suppose you wouldn't." Maddie supposed she should consider herself lucky Jack had stopped with a shield. When Jazz had been born, Jack turned the entire house into a clean room, baby-proofing everything he could get his hands on long before it needed to be.

_'Speaking of whom…'_

"Where's Jazz?" Maddie asked, glancing around for a flash of red hair to alert her to her daughter's presence.

"Hm?" Jack asked absently before the question registered. "Oh! I think she's still sulking up in her new room. Still upset she had to leave all her little friends behind…" Maddie sighed.

"I'll go talk to her," she volunteered, kissing her husband on the nose before turning back to the house.

Passing the baby's room, she stopped in front of the door almost directly across from it, which was wide open— so she could see her red- headed three -year- old sitting on her suitcase, staring out her window at something. Biting her lip in worry, Maddie knocked softly on the doorframe to catch the girl's attention.

"Jazz, honey?" she said softly with a warm, motherly smile. "Can I come in?" Jazz frowned, but didn't respond as she turned back to her window. Hurt, Maddie came in anyways and crouched down next to her daughter, patting the girl on the back. "Sweetie, I know you miss all your friends, but you have to understand—"

"No, I don't!" Jazz snapped, glaring at her mother. "I don't understand, Mommy! Why couldn't we have stayed where we were?"

"Well, you father and I have a very different job, honey," Maddie explained with a sigh, almost wishing that her daughter wasn't so smart for her age. "And the people who lived around us… well, they didn't like it." Seeing the look on her daughter's face, the woman quickly added, "Besides, this place is bigger than our old home, so we have more room for you and baby Danny, and I'm sure you'll make lots of new friends, Jazz."

"I don't WANT to make new friends!" Jazz yelled, jumping to her feet. "I like my old friends, Mommy! I hate this stupid house, and I hate your stupid job and I hate that stupid baby! I wish they'd all just disappear!"

"Jasmine Marie Fenton!" Maddie gasped. But before she could say anything else, Jazz darted out the door and past her father, disappearing out onto the street before either of her parents could stop her. "JAZZ!"

Running after her daughter, Maddie paused at the door of her new home to look around desperately for any sign of the girl, to no avail. Biting her lip, Maddie gripped the doorframe, jumping slightly when her husband rested a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Maddie," Jack said soothingly, uncharacteristically serious in his wife's worry, "She'll be fine. She just needs a little while to cool off."

"I suppose…" Maddie admitted reluctantly with a sigh. "Still, she's only three."

"Maybe, but she's got your smarts, Maddie," Jack chuckled. "The Only three years old and already doing long division!"

"Jack!" Maddie scolded with a light laugh, hugging her husband. With one last worried glance around, she started into the house, "I'm going to check on the baby one last time, Honey. You get things set up in the basement so we can start rebuilding our lab. Don't unpack anything until I get down there, though, some of those chemicals are highly sensitive. One false move and we'd all end up a crater in the ground."

"No worries, Baby!" Jack crooned, grinning at his wife as he lumbered into the basement, tripping over some stairs and landing with a loud crashing noise. Maddie laughed slightly after she heard him confirm that he was fine.

"That man…" she said affectionately before starting up the stairs. Then again, that was part of why she'd fallen for Jack Fenton in the first place…

* * *

_'Damn him…'_ Vlad picked up speed, his glowing red eyes fixed on the path in front of him without really seeing it. Rage had blinded him to anything, sheer and pure fury was the driving force behind his actions as he neared the cheerful- looking house in the cheerful -looking suburbs of a cheerful- looking town. _'Damn him to Hell!'_

Growling in frustration, Vlad stopped midair right above the house, the wind from his momentum whipping his hair and cape as it continued in the direction he'd spent a good twenty minutes flying at top speed.

That's right, flying.

Vlad wasn't, as one might expect, your average person. He wasn't even your average head of a multi-billion- dollar company. (The fact that that wasn't a career most people would ever consider average aside.) He was Vlad Masters— old college buddy of Jack and Maddie Fenton, — and Vlad Plasmius— the ghost who was rapidly becoming the strongest in all of the Ghost Zone.

He was a half-ghost. A freak who defied the laws of nature and science.

_**'AND IT'S ALL JACK FENTON'S FAULT!'**_

Vlad had held little (if any) affection for the bumbling, burly man since the accident in college, and less after he married the woman Vlad always vowed would be his. But this… _This_ was the last straw.

Very little could compare to Vlad's fury when he had found out about Daniel Fenton, born to Jack and Maddie Fenton on October 12 of 1992 at 4:15 AM, weighing a meager two pounds and three ounces when the couple brought him home.

The son that should've been his…

Growling out his anguish one last time, Vlad phased through the walls of the Fentons' new home, heading straight for the basement where he found his hated old friend setting everything up, humming cheerfully as if he hadn't a care in the world.

_'Of course he doesn't,' _Vlad thought sourly, still trapped in his own realm of rage and self-pity. _'He's living the life that should've been mine, after all…'_

Floating there above Jack Fenton, hidden from sight by nothing but his powers, a part of Vlad wondered what he was doing, what he expected to accomplish by attacking Jack as things were currently. He'd always been a strategist, and there was no gain to be had from moving in on the offensive so early in the game. He should step back, analyze the situation and make his move then, for maximum results.

But then a bigger part of Vlad told that side to stuff it.

"How quaint," the half -ghost sneered as he turned visible again, pleased when Jack jumped about three feet in the air. He didn't know why sneaking up on the man had brought him such pleasure, but it had and he certainly wasn't going to let the world that had been so unfair to him rob him of that much.

"What the heck…?" Jack said, turning. He froze when he caught sight of Vlad, still floating a good three feet off the ground. To his credit, though, he recovered quickly, diving for an ecto-gun even as he bellowed for his wife. "GHOOOOOST! MADDIE, THERE'S A GHOST DOWN IN THE LAB! GET THE FENTON THERMOS, STAT!"

Vlad raised an eyebrow at that, unsure if the cramped basement (filled with enough unpacked cardboard boxes to give the Box Ghost his idea of heaven) really could be seen to constitute as a 'lab', but before he could point anything of the sort out to the buffoon he so despised, he found himself staring down the barrel of an ecto-gun.

_"Eat hot ectoplasm, spook!"_ Jack exclaimed, firing the gun. Acting on instinct alone, Vlad dodged the blast, sneering when the next three his jumpsuit clad foe shot at him missed by miles.

"Not a very good shot, are you, Jack?" he taunted, going invisible and circling around the ghost hunter. Jack faltered slightly when he heard this, surprise written all over his face as he dropped his guard and lowered his weapon, looking around uncertainly for the enemy he could no longer see.

"You know me?" he asked, sounding confused.

"Of COURSE I know you!" Plasmius snapped, disgusted with the stupidity of the question. "It's a little hard to forget the man who **_RUINED YOUR LIFE!"_**

"Huh?" Jack said, his confusion growling. Before he could say anything else, though, Vlad struck at him with an ecto-blast to the back, grinning in sadistic delight when the man hit the opposite wall with a pained yell.

Gone were his careful plots. Gone were his pawns, his traps, his manipulations… Right now all he wanted was revenge, the quick, simple delight that would come with the death of the man who stolen everything he'd ever wanted.

"And so, _Jack Fenton,"_ Vlad sneered again as he emphasized the ghost hunter's full name, "it's only fair that I even the scales a bit, yes?" He raised a fist, glowing with pink ecto-energy and grinned when he saw the terror on Jack's face. "A life for a life, after all…"

_'BLAM!'_

Vlad cried out in a mixture of pain and surprise when he was hit from the side by an ectoblast, crashing into a wall which he then slid down to come to a rest on the floor. Glancing up, he was surprised to see Maddie, looking as beautiful as the day he'd first laid eyes on her, standing at the base of the stairs, a smoking ecto-gun in her hands.

"You keep away from him, ghost!" she snapped protectively, edging closer to her husband, much to Vlad's irritation. Especially when she took her eyes off of him to give Jack a worried look. "Sweetie? Are you okay?" Vlad scowled darkly.

_'Of course…'_ he thought sourly. _'As if **knowing** that the woman I love is happily married to the man I hate with every fiber of my being isn't enough, now I have to **see** it as well…'_

"I'm fine, Maddie," Jack gasped, struggling to his feet to glare at Vlad. "What did you mean? Who are you?" Vlad sneered at him, his hatred of the man growing when Maddie rested a hand against his shoulder in worry, glancing between the two men in a way that told she was concerned for her husband's safety.

_'Why did she have to choose him?'_ Vlad wondered mournfully. _'Why couldn't she see that she'd be happier with me? I would've given her the world…'_

"Haven't you figured it out yet, fool?" the half- ghost snapped cruelly, his red eyes narrowing in irritation at Jack when he turned back to him. "Is it really that difficult of a concept for your simple mind to grasp?"

"Don't listen to him, Jack!" Maddie called firmly, glaring at Vlad distrustfully. "He's just lying to break your concentration!"

"My dear Maddie," Vlad responded, frowning in a strangely patient way at the woman, "you have no idea how much I wish that were truly the case. However, the fact remains that this _simpleton_—" here Vlad shot Jack another bitter glare, "—has robbed me of the life I deserved! Because of him, my existence for the last six years has been sheer agony!"

"What the heck are you TALKING about?" Jack demanded, absolutely bewildered. "I've never killed anybody!"

"YOU were responsible for the accident that ruined my life!" Plasmius exploded, scowling at the burly man. "You destroyed every dream I've ever had! You CURSED me to this damnable half-existence while you lived in comfort with a loving wife and son! YOU'VE STOLEN THE LIFE I'VE EARNED! **THE LIFE I_ DESERVE!"_**

As Plasmius continued his tirade, his anger increased and all the boxes around them started to quake and tremble as a result. Maddie and Jack watched on with wide eyes as beakers and test tubes shattered and chemicals bubbled, the burning smell of acid rapidly filling the room. Plasmius never noticed any of this, though, his eyes fixed solely on Jack Fenton.

"Jack!" Maddie gasped under the ghost's hearing. "We need to get rid of him now! If he keeps this up, he might trigger a chemical explosion and blow the whole house sky high, and us with it!"

"Right!" Jack said his face hardening into a determined look. "Don't worry, Maddie, I'll take care of everything!"

Then, before Maddie could protest, her husband bound forward, ecto-cannon charged. He fired at Plasmius twice, and the half ghost snorted at the blatant, tactless attack, lazily flicking a wrist to bring up a shield around him which the blasts ricocheted off to hit the walls, scorch marks smoldering in the wake of the energy.

"Idiot!" Vlad sneered with a feral grin. "I won't be that easy to get rid of!"

As Vlad attacked Jack and sent him flying across the room, his back was turned to Maddie, who hesitated for a moment at the opportunity as she glanced anxiously at the exit.

_'What should I do?'_ she wondered fearfully. She wanted to stay and fight with her husband… but her baby was upstairs in his crib, and in danger as long as this ghost was here. Sure, the shield was designed to protect him from most ghost attacks— but this one seemed particularly powerful, so he might find a way around such a simple obstacle.

Not to mention the fact that if he had an ounce of common sense, he's just push the 'off' button on the remote…

The dilemma was settled as she watched the ghost advance on her husband, his fists crackling with neon pink ecto-energy. Pursing her lips in determination, Maddie reached slowly for an ecto-gun just she kept at her side, careful not to make a noise to alert the ghost of her actions.

_'If I get rid of him, then Danny and Jack will both be safe,' _the young mother assured herself mentally. _'All I need is this one shot and everything will be okay…'_

"Really, Jack…" the ghost addressed her husband mockingly, chuckling bitterly as his energy spiked before settling back to its normal pattern. "Did you really think it would be that easy to get rid of me?"

That was when Maddie's hand closed on the ecto-gun and she withdrew it, bringing it up to aim for the ghost…

Only to cry out in pain when large gloved hands shot out from behind her to grab her wrists, forcing her to drop her weapon as she was restrained with her hands behind her head. Struggling, Maddie felt a cold chill run down her spine as Plasmius laughed softly behind her, whispering for her ear alone.

"Really, my dear," he said, amusement clear in his tone. "Did you honestly think I would make that mistake twice?"

"Let me go!" Maddie hissed, struggling to free herself. The ghost only laughed again, louder this time.

"Let you go?" He repeated, laugher still coloring his tone, "My dear Maddie, why would I do that when all I've ever wanted was to have you?" Maddie stopped struggling then, shock written all over her face.

_'…What?'_

"No distractions this time, Jack," the other Plasmius told the ghost hunter, apparently ignoring his duplicate and Maddie. "This ends _now_. Goodbye, Jack Fenton…"

To Maddie, the next chain of events took place in slow motion, though it really only took a few moments. The ghost charging up for a final blast… Jack taking aim one last time and firing, the blast nicking Plasmius without doing any damage…

…Heading for the pile of boxes that was plastered with hazardous chemical warnings.

"NO!" Maddie screamed, her eyes wide. But there was nothing she or either of the men could do to stop it at that point. The blast struck the boxes, and there was a bright white light followed by a thunderous explosion before the whole world went dark…

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Upstairs, infant Danny cooed and stretched, unaware of the battle being waged underneath him. He pressed a hand curiously against the glowing green dome of energy surrounding him, giggling at the strange sensation it awoke. 

The green dome was forgotten, though, when the house began to quake. Only slightly at first, but soon it was violent enough that the baby began to wail loudly, anxious for the comfort of his mother.

Maddie never answered the boy's cries, though. Instead, a brilliant white light cloaked the room, sparking furiously when it hit the shield and making angry noises that had Danny crying even harder, no longer finding the strange green light fun.

The baby didn't understand what the strange jolts of energy that started dancing along the outer surface of the shield were about. Nor did he understand when the surges grew, consuming the shield entirely until it faltered and the energy washed over the infant. All he knew what that it hurt, and that the hurt didn't stop until he fell asleep…

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Vlad groaned as he opened his eyes, confused for a second at the sight of debris all around him until he finally remembered what had occurred. The fight, the blast, the explosion… 

"MADDIE!"

Jolting up, Vlad twisted around desperately, looking for the brunette he was so desperately in love with. He had shielded her from the blast, along with himself, but had she made it…?

Relief overwhelmed him when he saw her lying on the ground about ten feet away, unconscious but breathing normally when he checked, and with no signs of physical trauma from the explosion.

Glancing around, Vlad couldn't help but groan again as he took in the disarray around him, though for a different reason this time.

_'What was I thinking?'_ he wondered, sitting down on a chunk of rubble and putting his face in his hands. He had never done anything so reckless before. EVER. It was Jack who always took action before thinking things through, not him. Why had he allowed his anger to take him to a point where it could've killed not only him, but Maddie as well…?

Vlad looked up again when the wail of approaching sirens reached him, his blood running cold in his veins. There was no way he could explain his presence there to police, or to Maddie when she awoke.

_'I have to get out of here',_ Vlad decided, changing back into a ghost and taking to the air. He paused a few feet off the ground when he caught another sound, even more shocking to him than the coming ambulance.

A baby's crying.

Turning, Vlad couldn't help but follow the noise until he at last found the source, lying half- hidden by the rubble around him. The half- ghost stared down at the baby in a numb sort of shock, amazed that someone so young could survive a blast of that magnitude.

Even the remains of some strange proto- shield that laid shattered around the infant didn't decrease his surprise. After all, the child wasn't even a year old yet. That he was alive and apparently unharmed clearly meant that he'd inherited his mother's strength of spirit.

Sighing, Vlad eyed the baby curiously for a moment as his cries subdued and he blinked back at Vlad with clear blue eyes reddened from his tears.

"So, you're Daniel, are you…?" Vlad muttered, hesitantly reaching out to dry some of the baby's tears. Danny cooed softly at the touch and wrapped one of his tiny hands around the billionaire's larger finger, surprising Vlad a little.

_'He's either very brave or far too trusting, this one…'_ Vlad mused wryly, wiggling his finger a little and earning a giggle from the baby. Shaking his head, Vlad phased out of Danny's grasp to stand, his cape billowing around him.

"I'd better go," he said, not really sure why he was telling the baby this. "An ambulance is coming, they should find you when you start bawling your lungs out again. You're mother should be fine, so all you have to worry about is—"

Vlad stopped dead in the middle of his sentence when the baby disappeared for a moment, only to reappear a second later.

_'He…he just…'_ Gaping down at the infant, Vlad's eyes widened when he realized that Danny's eyes— which he knew for a fact had been blue not a minute earlier— were now an iridescent green color, common only in the Ghost Zone.

Vlad didn't know how it was possible. He had absolutely no idea how an infant could survive that kind of charge of ectoplasm, or even where it'd come from for that matter, but he could tell one thing for sure.

_'He's a half- ghost…'_ The billionaire sat down as his thought ran through his head, the shock almost too much to handle. _'He's a half- ghost… just like **me.**'_

This thought had the wheels in Vlad's head turning as he kept a careful ear open for the ambulance, knowing that he wouldn't have all that much time left. He'd always been alone before as far as the status of ghostly halflings went, but now here was a child, an infant at that, who showed signs of the exact same powers that plagued him.

Vlad glanced over at Maddie hesitantly as she groaned and shifted on the ground, but didn't open her eyes. He bit his lip uncertainty with his fangs. This was a tempting opportunity… very tempting… but there was no way he could bring both Danny and Maddie with him without arousing her suspicions, with as clever as she was.

Yet leaving Danny in her care was no longer an option, either, for the very reason Vlad had fearfully broken off contact with her all those years ago: the boy was a half -ghost and she was a ghost hunter. Who was to say she wouldn't despise the child for what he'd become, for what he could be with just a little guidance…?

Vlad glanced down at Danny again, and found that the decision wasn't as hard as he would've thought. Crouching down, he picked the baby up from the rubble and cradled him in his arms, making sure he had a firm hold on the child before taking to the air and heading back to his home in Wisconsin, completely unaware that Maddie's eyes opened just before he disappeared from sight…

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**WoM- _Originally, I was going to have Jack and Maddie both die, but there were two reasons this didn't happen here;_**

**1.)_ I was kicked by another evil little plot bunny that refused to be ignored_**

**2.)_ I just didn't have_ _it in me, in the end. _('sulks')**

_**At any rate, we won't see any of the Fentons again for a while, since this story evolves around Vlad and Danny's relationship as father and son. Don't worry, though, all the characters that everybody loves and hates should work their way into this fic at some point or another.**_

**_Oh, and as far as my other stories go, don't worry. Other then FCA, I will continue to update all of them regularly. I'm still having difficulties as far as plagiarism goes with that one, which so far has had_ two authors other then myself claiming to write them. (Please tell me if you find anyone else doing this, by the way.)_ I'm not sure what new story I'll post next, though. Probably whatever one gets the most comments on Taste of Insanity… I think so far that's Ghost Town… _'too lazy to actually check'**

**Anywho, I'll see all of you guys next chapter!**

**---**

**Next Chapter; Adjusting**

_Vlad's staff- human and ghost alike- are in for a shock when their boss arrives at his castle in Wisconsin with his new son. They'll have to get over it quickly, though, with the way baby Danny's gonna keep them on their feet…_

_**See you then!**_


	2. Adjusting

**WoM- **'Face vault'** _Man, the response for this story was phenomenal! And only one chapter, too… I guess everybody's interested in seeing how ol Vladdy fairs as a Daddy! I've upped the rating, due to the character death last chapter_ (And yes; Jack is in fact dead. Please don't yell at me for it! I love his character, believe me, but it had to be done for this story's sake!) _Unfortunately lost the ability to send e-mail to anyone, so this chapter wasn't beta-ed. Thanks for being so patent with waiting for me to get back to this one!_**

…**_And do I want to know why half of my reviewers were feeding me cookies?_ O.o;**

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_"Families with babies and families without babies are sorry for each other."_

_**-Edgar Watson Howe**_

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**Adjusting **

_He's so… **tiny**._

Vlad couldn't help but stare at the infant asleep in his arms as he flew towards his mansion. Night was starting to settle around them, since Vlad was hesitant to fly too fast with the new load he was bringing back home with him. Still, there was enough light to see easily, even without the way his night vision was vastly improved since his accident. No doubt owing to the fact that ghosts often did most of their haunting in the cover of darkness.

_Will the same happen with him?_ Vlad wondered, glancing back down at the baby as he cooed softly in his sleep, going intangible for a moment. Luckily Vlad was prepared for such since it'd happened four or five time before, and was able to keep a firm hold on little Daniel in spite of it.

Smiling down at Daniel, a million different questions ran through Vlad's head as he began plotting out a story for his staff. What kind of powers would the baby he held grow up to have? How would the age factor make his life different then the one Vlad had lived? When should the billionaire start teaching the boy to control the power they shared…?

_One thing at a time._ Vlad reminded himself, focusing on the task at hand as he landed on the ground. First, he had to deal with getting Daniel settled in, not to mention his staff…

"Boss!"

_Speak of the devil…_ sighing slightly to himself, Vlad dismissed his ghost form as he walked into the house, wincing when Skulker's cry had Daniel shifting slightly in his sleep. Thankfully, though, the infant only gathered a loose fistful of Vlad's suit in his hands before snuggling into his arm and drifting back to his peaceful slumbers. Shooting the hunter an agitated frown, Vlad started up the stairs that would lead him to the master bedroom.

"Not so loud, Skulker!" he said, agitation clear in his tone as the ghostly hunter followed him, looking both frantic and overwhelmed at the same time.

"You've been missing all day!" he accused the billionaire in an annoyed sort of way, matching Vlad's pace as he continued up the stairs. "Did you forget Walker was coming today to meet with you about the upgraded ghost-proof jail cells that Technus' is supposed to complete in a month? He left three hours ago, since you were nowhere to be found! And I've been looking for you, too! I wanted to ask about that new chemical compound that's supposed to… to…" the ghost trailed off when his attention fell on the sleeping bundle in his employer's arms, his eyes widening to the size of saucers and his mechanical jaw going slack. "What on Earth is THAT?"

"A baby, Skulker." Vlad answered, rolling his eyes. "I believe you've encountered such creatures before?" Skulker started a little at that, looking even more flustered then before, and far more confused.

Out of all his ghost employees, Vlad tended to put the most faith in Skulker, who was easily his right hand man. When Vlad needed something done, he could usually count on the ghost hunter to get it done right.

…Usually.

At the same time, though, Skulker had a nasty habit of allowing personal vendettas to cloud his judgment, something that often resulted in more headaches then the billionaire cared to handle. Still, Skulker was a loyal, and admittedly good at his job.

"Of course I know what an infant is!" Skulker said, looking slightly insulted. "What I don't understand is why you have one!"

"Because," the half ghost answered in a frank tone. "he is my son." Skulker stopped at that, gaping at Vlad like a of fish out of water.

"Your… son?" he repeated after a long silence, blinking a few times in a dazed sort of way. It had never occurred to him that Vlad had a personal life, much less a family. "You have a— but when did you—?"

"He's four months old now." Vlad told the hunter, pointedly ignoring his questions. "His mother recently died after a bout with cancer, and as she had no family or close relations upon her death, I am the boy's sole guardian." Skulker blinked a few times, obviously trying to come to terms with this.

"And you believed her?" He asked incredulously after a while "Uh, boss? Did it ever occur to you that this woman might just be trying to stick her son with the richest man she'd ever been with? How do you know—?" the rest of Skulker's sentence died on his tongue when Daniel went invisible for a moment before flickering back into sight. "…Oh."

"Indeed." Vlad couldn't contain his amusement at his employee's reaction. "Apparently, my powers are quite genetic, the reason Daniel's poor mother was forced to break contact with everyone she knew after he was born." The story was flawless. There was nothing for anyone to question about it, since the boy's powers spoke for themselves and left others with a mistaken impression Vlad was in no hurry to correct.

"I see…" Skulker murmured, nodding thoughtfully. "So, what are you going to do with him?"

"What do you think?" Vlad asked scornfully. "He is my son. Do you honestly expect me to abandon my own flesh and blood?"

"No! Of course not!" Skulker answered immediately, not wanting to upset his employer any more then he already had "I merely wondered since you do not seem to have any of his possessions." Vlad blinked at him blankly at that.

"What?" he responded, bewilderment clear in his tone. Skulker shifted awkwardly from one foot to another.

"His… erm… possessions." he repeated uncertainly. "I was under the impression that it was necessary for human infants to have certain possessions to aid in their care, until they were old enough to fend for themselves." Vlad flinched, finally getting the message. Diapers, bottles, baby food… He'd forgot about those things entirely when he had brought Daniel in…

_No matter._ He reassured himself, passing the baby to Skulker who stared at him with a stupefied expression. _This is a situation that is easily remedied…_

"Yes, well we're going to have to fix that now, I supposed." He said out loud, heading to the door. "Watch Daniel for me while I'm away. Hopefully, I'll be back soon with all the necessary items."

"M-me?" Skulker said, staring at the baby he was now holding at an arms length with wide eyes. "I don't know anything about children!"

"Then learn!" Vlad snapped, obviously close to losing his patience. "I'm going to have to take the car to carry everything, and I can't bring Daniel with me since I don't have a baby seat! If you need to, get the vultures or Technus to help you. I'm sure that between the five of you, at least one will know how to keep Daniel alive in the time it will take me to shop for baby supplies!"

_I hope._ Vlad added dryly to himself as he turned yet again to leave.

"B-but I—!" Skulker's panicked protest when unheeded as Vlad left, slamming the door behind them. Wincing, Skulker looked at Daniel again and groaned slightly. "This is going to end badly…"

* * *

"His _son_?"

Skulker grunted in confirmation, his eyes narrowed in concentration on the cards in his hands as the three vultures all gaped at the infant asleep in a large pile of blankets on the floor next to them.

After Vlad had left him in charge of watching the baby, Skulker decided to take advantage of the fact that the child was still asleep, building him a makeshift bed in the break room before challenging the Vultures to a card game.

Needless to say, though, the vultures found the infant's presence to be very peculiar considering the usual lack of children in the Master's household, so they eventually got around to questioning Skulker about it.

"Hard to believe, isn't it? Got any threes?"

"You're telling me…" the vulture said, shaking his head in wonder. "Vat happened to the redhead he was so obsessed vith? And go fish."

"Got me. Last I heard, he was trying to find out where she got to after they parted ways in college." Skulker griped as he drew a card.

"Yeah, vell it all sounds nuts to me!" the bird accused dramatically, almost losing his fez in his excitement. "Vat if he just make the kid in one of his experiment, huh? You got and eights?" Grumbling slightly, the vulture to his left handed over two cards.

"I doubt that…" Skulker insisted, frowning thoughtfully. "Something like that is far too advance for the current scientific enhancements, both in the Ghost Zone and here in the Human World."

"Then vat do you think, huh? Got any Kings?"

"Go fish." The vulture to his right squawked.

"He could be telling the truth, you know…" Skulker pointed out dryly as the bird drew his card.

"Does it matter?" The other vulture griped. "The only think I need to know is vat the heck ve're supposed to do vith the lil upstart, huh?"

"As long as he stays asleep, we shouldn't have to do anything." The hunter sighed. "So if we avoid making loud noises, there shouldn't be any difficulties and Plasmius can take over when he gets back."

"So ve just let the kid snooze?" The vulture clarified. "That doesn't sound so hard…"

"Indeed." Skulker nodded his agreement. "Though I still think it's ridiculous that I have to watch him in the first place. I'm the greatest hunter in the Ghost Zone, not a child's nanny!"

"Hey, at least the outfit suits ya." One of the vultures snickered, earning loud guffaws from the other two ghost birds as Skulker glared daggers at him.

"Keep it down!" he snapped, glancing attentively at the baby as he cooed and shifted in his sleep. "If any of you wake that child up, so help me…"

"AH-HA!" Technus said loudly as he flew into the room. "At last! I, Technus, Master of All Things Scientific, have increased the output of the castle's ghost shield!" Skulker had just enough time to groan and bury his head in his hands before Danny woke up and immediately began wailing his lungs out. "Eh? Who's he?"

_Why me? _Skulker wondered miserably. _What did I do to deserve this torment…?_

* * *

"Whaaaaa! Whaaaaa! Whaaaaa! Whaaaaa!"

"Is somebody gonna shut him up?" Glowering at the baby as he and his comrades held their wings over their ears to block the noise, the vulture waited impatiently for a response from someone.

"What do you think we're trying to do, huh?" Technus snapped back, trying desperately to silence the baby.

"Perhaps if we tried a different method?" Skulker offered desperately. "I still have those ectoplasmic tranquilizers. If we shoot him with one of those…"

"I don't think the boss vould like that very much…" the vulture said dryly.

"Well then what do you think we should do?" Skulker countered.

"Maybe he's just hungry?" One of the other birds piped up.

"An excellent suggestion!" Technus exclaimed loudly. "I, Technus, propose that we fetch the half ghost child one of my special home cooked meals!"

"I think my tranquilizers are the more humane option…" Skulker responded dryly.

"What do you mean by that?" Technus demanded, glaring I Skulker. "I'm an excellent chef! Remember my bread rolls for the big Ghost Zone bake sale last year?"

"I remember chipping three teeth on one of them." Skulker countered with a smirk, crossing his arms as Technus scowled in annoyance.

"Vat do babies eat, anyvays?" One of the vultures asked his companion as Skulker and Technus continued to bicker over the master of technologies' culinary skills, toning them out to concentrate on the problem at hand.

"You think I know?" The other bird snorted disdainfully, rubbing his temples. The yelling combined with Danny's crying was giving him a headache, not helped by the fact that both were getting louder. "Baby stuff!"

"I think they need milk…" The third vulture said, rubbing his beak thoughtfully with his wing.

"Good enough for me!" Taking flight, one of the vultures took hold of Danny and the three fazed through the floor as one, leaving behind Skulker and Technus, too deep in their argument to even notice their absence.

* * *

"Here kid, drink up!" Danny stopped crying long enough to blink in surprise as one of the vultures slammed a glass of milk in front of him before her started up yet again.

"Nincompoop!" another vulture yelled, twapping him soundly over the head. "Babies need those veird bottle thingies, remember?" before the first vulture could defend himself, all three birds were silence by a giggle from the baby.

"Vat's he laughing at?" One of the vulture's asked his companions.

"Search me." A second vulture mumbled. "Anyvay, let's find something to make the brat a bottle vith…"

"Vat about this?" one of the vultures suggested, holding up a latex glove. When his companions started giving him strange looks, he went on the defensive. "I found it in the lab and forgot about it, okay?"

"looks clean enough…" Another vultures said thoughtfully as he inspected it. "Don't think anybody's vorn it, so it should be good."

"Vorks for me!" Grabbing the glove from his companion, the vulture poured the milk out of the glass and into the glove, trying it at the top and then using a pair of scissors to cut a small hole in the thumb. "Here kid, enjoy!"

Gurgling happily, Danny accepted the makeshift bottle and started sucking away, much to the relief of all three vultures.

"That oughta keep him happy until the boss gets back…" yawning slightly, the vulture slumped against the counter. "I feel like I haven't slept in a month…"

"No kidding." His companion griped sourly, joining him. "This babysitting thing's no joke!" the third vulture flopped over on the other side of him without a word, and the three of them were out cold before Danny finished his bottle…

* * *

"I'm telling you, even the Lunch Lady thinks I'm a master chef!"

"I'll believe that when I see it…"

"Aw, what do you know, anyways? The only thing you're good for is shooting people! And that only because of your dumb armor!"

"Yeah, well this 'dumb armor,' can destroy your simpering hide in two minutes!"

"Time and place, buddy!" Skulker was about to respond when something finally can to his attention…

"Where's the baby?"

"Oh yeah? Well I— eh?" Technus blinked a few times in confusion. "Baby? What baby?"

"The boss's baby you fool!" Skulker hissed, digging through the blankets, "He was just here a second ago!"

"Oh, that baby…" Technus frowned thoughtfully for a moment. "Wait a second, those birds are gone, too!" Stopping, Skulker growled in annoyance as he straightened up, storming out of the room at a brisk pace.

"Annoying pests…" he said irritably. "I turn my back for one second and they take off with the baby!"

"So?" Technus asked, not sounding all that concerned. "Let them handle the brat, then!"

"And get him killed?" Skulker asked incredulously. "Do you know what the boss would do to us?" Technus flinched at that.

"Good point…" Rolling his eyes, Skulker entered the kitchen and scowled at the sight of the sleeping vultures and the baby in the middle of the floor by himself, unattended.

"Get up you fools!" He yelled, making all three vultures scream and fly straight up into the air and smash into each other. Danny giggled at the sight as Skulker sighed and awkwardly picked him up.

"Vat?" one of the vultures asked in annoyance "Can't a bird get a little shut eye around here?"

"Not when he's supposed to be watching a child!" Skulker pointed out irritably. "If you're going to try and take care of him on your own, can't you at least do it right?"

"Hey, ve're doing a heck of a lot better then you knuckleheads!" the vulture defended himself. "See? Ve even fed the stinkin' kid!"

"And then you fell asleep." Skulker scowled as Danny disappeared for a moment before flashing back into view. "Do you have any idea what— Wait… what's that smell?" As one, five sets of eyes widened on Danny, who blinked back innocently.

"Not it!" One of the vultures yelled, the three birds making tracks as quickly as possible. Technus was on their heels before Skulker could raise a protest, and the hunter was left scowling after all of them before growling and giving Danny a glare, his irritation growing when the baby only laughed.

"This was _not_ in my contract…"

* * *

**WoM- _Sorry about the lack of Vlad here. I'm having family issues right now, so writing this is a little harder for me then it should be. He makes a reappearance next chapter, don't worry. Thanks again for all the positive reviews!_**

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**Thanks to;**

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	3. Nanny for Danny

**WoM- _Finally back to this one! _:D_ Feels like it'd been ages since I updated… Probably because it has been. _;_ Sorry! The next update shouldn't take quite as long… _**_'prays she didn't just jinx herself'** At any rate, on with the chapter!**_

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_If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance._

**-George Bernard Shaw**

* * *

**Nanny for Danny**

"No!" Skulker flinched slightly as Vlad pounded his fist on the desk, jolting the infant in the rocker next to him into consciousness and sending him into another crying fit. Sighing, the hunter rubbed his temples as his boss rose to attend to the child. Looking to the heavens for assistance, Skulker turned to address his boss again after Daniel had quieted down.

"You can't plan on doing everything yourself." He said reasonably. "It will be near impossible to care for an infant while controlling a multi-billion interdimensional company! Everything is already being thrown into chaos because you're spending more time with that child then you are handling the affairs of the company you spend the last six years building and maintaining, a company you've given nearly everything for!"

"Perhaps that is due to the fact that the rest of you have already proven incompetent as far as child rearing goes…" Vlad replied dryly as he absently bounced the baby up and down, shooting Skulker a pointed glare. The hunter had the good sense to look abashed at the accusation laced in the billionaire's words.

"It was a desperate situation!" He protested.

"That's your excuse for substituting a diaper with a plastic bag and duct tape?" Vlad said incredulously. His only response from his right hand man was a guilty flinch and a slight blush.

"Still, can't you hire someone else?" Skulker asked instead, steering the conversation back to the subject at hand. "Just until he's old enough to look after himself!"

"I refuse to become one of those men who are only a father in name." Vlad said bitterly, scowling as he thought back to all the so-called parents he'd met whose child was truly being raised by some day care service or an employee of some sort. Pathetic, empty excuses for irresponsible adults unloading what they saw as a useless burden off on another person…

"Uh, Boss?" Skulker eyes Vlad warily, not sure if he liked his employer's rapidly darkening expression. Coming out of his thoughts, Vlad frowned firmly at the hunter.

"At any rate, I refuse to allow Daniel to be raised by anyone else! Especially when his powers are still so blatantly sensitive." It could get awkward for Vlad if he had to explain to a nanny about exactly why his son was sinking through his crib and literally disappearing at random…

"Surely there's a ghost you can hire to take care of him, then?" Skulker pleaded. "How about Lunch Lady?"

"I'm not letting a meat obsessed bi-polar cafeteria woman take care of my son." Vlad said firmly, his eyebrow twitching in his irritation. Cooing softly, Daniel grabbed a handful of Vlad's suit, blinking up at the man with wide blue eyes.

Vlad felt his anger melt away as he glanced back down at the child in his arms, smiling slightly at the pure innocence of his son's youth. Daniel was too young to realize he was different then other people, after all. He has not yet learned how gifted, how unique he truly was. How much power he had, even now in his infantry. None of that mattered to him… not just yet, at any rate.

"Then we can find someone else!" Skulker sighed impatiently.

"We don't need anyone else!" Vlad insisted stubbornly, setting Danny down and handing him one of the toys he'd bought the boy to play with (a badger that spoke every time you squeezed it.) "I can handle this, just like I've handled everything else I've been faced with."

"Oh, _that's_ reassuring…" Vlad went ridged at the familiar voice, making Skulker flinch slightly. Turning, Vlad scowled darkly when he found himself victim to the cocky smirk of what he considered the scum of the Ghost Zone.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Vlad growled out dangerously, making Skulker's wince even more pronounced. The only response from the woman in front of him, though, was an eyebrow arching over one of her green eyes as she peered at him from over the rims of her sunglasses.

"Shouldn't we be asking you that?" Penelope Spectra asked, motioning lazily to the assistant beside her who was busy making himself as invisible as possible without actually using his powers. "Technus said you wanted to talk to us about something."

"…_Did_ he…?" Vlad's glare turned to Skulker, becoming a little more accusing. Skulker shrank under the look.

"We merely thought you'd be interested in some assistance…"

"So you asked _her_?" Vlad growled out, pointing an accusing finger at Spectra.

Ever since they first butted heads when Vlad had started exploring the Ghost Zone to get used to his new powers, Spectra and Vlad had always held nothing but resentment and total contempt towards one another. It only deepened in the confrontations that followed as Vlad worked on building his empire and Spectra attempted to claw her way into the human world.

"I'll do just as well without this snake's help, if you please!" Vlad scoffed, scowling at Spectra. "I don't want a leech like her anywhere near my son!"

That perked Spectra's interest.

"Son?" she repeated, her attention settling on the infant Daniel for the first time. She laughed slightly at the sight of the boy cuddling the plush toy, crossing the room to pick him up before Vlad could stop her. "What a little cutie! You sure he's _your_ son, Vladdy?" Vlad bristled at the 'innocent' question, scowling as Spectra tickled Daniel's stomach, making the baby giggle.

"Of course he's mine!" Vlad snapped, rescuing his son from Spectra's arms. Making a mental note to teach Daniel to be a better judge of character, the billionaire set the boy into his baby swing before turning back to Spectra. "And you won't have any part of his upbringing if I have anything to say about it!"

"Actually…" Skulker coughed sheepishly. "Spectra was supposed to help you with Vlad Co. We were going to find someone else to help you with your son." Vlad scowled at the hunter.

"And just who was that?" Spectra asked, apparently finding the whole situation funny.

"…Well, it was supposed to be the Lunch Lady, but…"

"Skulker!" Vlad started to advance on his employee, stopping only when Spectra laughed loudly.

"No wonder you need help, Plasmius." She said between her chuckles. "If this is the best you've got working for you, then it's a wonder you've gotten as far as you have…" Vlad turned his glare back to Spectra, his frustration growing.

"Leave." He snapped at her, turning back to his work. "I can handle things here on my own." Spectra merely chuckled at that.

"Obviously you can't if things are getting this out of hand for you…" She pointed out sweetly. "Relax Plasmius, I think I know the perfect guard dog for your little lamb. Sweet, docile, levelheaded… much more maternal then the Lunch Lady. It probably wouldn't be too hard to convince her to come, either."

"And exactly what do you gain from helping me?" Vlad asked with narrowed eyes.

"The chance to satisfy my curiosity." Spectra answered with a smirk. "I mean, you know this boy of yours is gonna grow up to be quite a character with his pedigree. I just want to be there to see it, Vladdy dear…"

"Absolutely not!" Vlad snapped. "I don't need you, or any of your vindictive little friends!"

"Vindictive?" Spectra chuckled slightly at that. "Hardly, Plasmius. And we're not what you'd call friends, either. We met by accident a few years back, and I've made a point to check in on her every now and then whenever I needed to replenish myself."

"So she's despondent?" the billionaire scoffed. "That's really a leap forward."

"Everyone has their problems, Plasmius." Spectra shrugged. "Even you. I mean, who in their right minds obsesses over a woman he can never have for six straight years? Not to mention your innate inability to compromise or admit you're wrong…"

"I do not have an inability to compromise!" Vlad growled with narrowed eyes. He ignored the jab about Maddie, knowing that Spectra was just trying to get a rise out of him, as usual…

"Then why are you being so stubborn about this whole nanny deal, hmm?" Spectra asked pointedly. "Whether you want to admit it or not Vlad, your little minions have a point. Trying to be a full-time businessman and a full-time father at the same time will leave you worn thin, and both your business and your son suffering because of it." Vlad scowled darkly at the smirk the woman was not shooting him.

_I hate when she's right…_ He thought bitterly. As if reading his mind, Spectra laughed slightly and strolled towards the door.

"Tell you what, Plasmius." She said smugly. "I'll bring the girl for you to meet with. If you think you can find another ghost more capable of helping you raise your son, then the two of us will leave and never come back. But if you're willing to admit that she's the best you can expect from the Ghost Zone, then you have to agree to hire the both of us, just like your little underlings planned." Vlad scowled, but said nothing. Apparently taking his silence as a yes, Spectra shot him one last triumphant smirk before he left, Bertrand following obediently.

Annoyed, Vlad turned to glare sourly at Skulker, who let out a nervous laugh and started to back towards the door.

"Perhaps I should start on that new line of weapons now…" He said meekly before bolting, leaving a very aggravated Vlad in his wake. The billionaire sighed and sank into his chair, glancing over at Daniel as he played with his rattle.

_You sure he's _your _son, Vladdy?_

Scowling, Vlad forced those words from his head and turned back to his work, wondering irritably how Spectra always seemed to know just what to say to get under someone's skin…

* * *

"My luck has been nonexistent lately…" Skulker grumbled darkly, earning a light chuckle from one of the vultures. 

"Hey, it was your idea to draw straws in the first place, buddy!" He reminded Skulker with a pointed look.

"And I still say you got the easier job!" Technus griped. "You have any idea how hard it was to talk Spectra into coming here?"

"I'd take Spectra over the boss any day of the week." Skulker told the other ghost sourly. "And your suggestion to hire the Lunch Lady didn't go over well with him at all, by the way."

"Good!" The leader of the vultures shivered violently. "Who vants the nut job, anyvays? Every time she sees us, she tries to turn us into chicken pot pie!"

"But you're vultures." Technus pointed out, slightly confused.

"Try telling her that!"

"At any rate…" Skulker sighed. "Right now all we can do is hope that Spectra comes through and finds someone to watch the child. Someone who preferably isn't me."

"You're not good with kids, are you?" Technus observed dryly.

"I'm a hunter, not a daycare service." Skulker responded haughtily. "And I still don't see what an infant needs so badly that he'd wake an entire house at two thirty-five in the morning!"

"Kid's gotta set of lungs on him, alright." Technus agreed with a chuckle. "I've never heard anything wail like that!"

"I dunno…" One of the vultures said, rubbing his beak. "The kid's not all bad, y'know… And Boss isn't as cranky now as he was before that brat showed up…"

"That doesn't mean I'm willing to forgive him for dumping his bottle into the barrel of one of my prototypes for the new ecto-guns." Skulker griped. Technus shot the hunter a cheeky grin.

"Hey, you know what they say about crying over spilt milk…"

"Finish that statement and I'll use you for target practice." Skulker said with a glare. "I'm not in the mood for trivial human sayings…"

"I dunno about that." Technus said conversationally. "I kinda like the one about things going around and coming around."

"It's 'What goes around, Comes around,' sweetie." A voice at the door corrected smugly. "As in Karmic Retribution, the idea that no deed goes unpunished." Jolting slightly, the ghosts turned to see Spectra standing at the door, looking extremely pleased with herself.

"When did you get back?" Skulker asked, annoyed. Ignoring this, Spectra fell into one of the empty chairs nearby, making herself entirely too much at home.

"Just now." She answered lightly, waving a hand. "Bertrand's showing the girl I was talking about earlier to Plasmius."

"You didn't go with him?" Technus asked, sounding faintly surprised. Spectra shrugged.

"He'd be more paranoid and suspicious of her if I was there, which would only make her nervous." She explained. "The girl's good for looking after others, but she caves under stress. Part of her upbringing, I think…"

"You think?" One of the vultures snorted. "Aren't you a psychiatrist? Shouldn't you know?" Spectra looked annoyed at the jab.

"The mind is a complex place, little birdie." She said, annoyance laced into the words. "There are a lot of things to consider before a doctor makes her diagnosis. Otherwise, bad things may happen…" The ghost's voice took on a dark undertone here, her eyes becoming clouded with a memory only she could see. The other ghost's exchanged looks, but said nothing.

Questions of a ghost's past and human life where never appreciated by anyone, after all. Everyone had reasons for being a ghost, something keeping them tied to the living world, but prying into the matter without permission was considered an extreme insult in the Ghost Zone that no spirit would stand for.

"Do you have any idea how long this should take?" Skulker pressed. He wanted the whole ordeal over with as soon as possible, after all…

"Not long." Spectra said vaguely. "I imagine that Vlad will interrogate her until he's forced to admit I'm right, after which everything will be settled."

"Hopefully…" A vulture added, earning murmurs of agreement from his companions.

"There's something I've been wondering about, though…" Technus said, frowning at Spectra. "When I first mentioned all of this to you, you said that you'd rather die a second time then work under the boss. The only reason you even came was so you could get on his nerves… what changed your mind?"

"That's easy." Spectra replied, smirking. "The child." Seeing the confused looks this answer received, the therapist sighed in annoyance. "That boy was born with a foot in two worlds, half human, half ghost. Plasmius is one of the most bizarre ghosts I've ever met, and he's only had his condition for the last six years, could you imagine how someone born and raised their entire life with ghost powers is going to turn out?"

"So… you really are just curious?" Skulker said, sounding faintly surprised. Spectra chuckled softly.

"I would be a poor woman of science if I wasn't, sweetie." She sang out sweetly, smirking to herself.

* * *

"So you're Spectra's little friend, are you?" Studying the young woman in front of him, Vlad couldn't help but feel slightly surprised. She was nothing like he was expecting, after all… 

Looking to be somewhere in her teens, the ghost had a faintly green complexion fairly common in the Ghost Zone, coupled with bright red eyes (Also pretty common) and blonde hair tied back in a braid that trailed down her back. She wore a formal (If outdated) light blue dress with a green sash and a matching blue circlet.

Her manner was a little self-conscious and nervous under his scrutiny, and she seemed to be almost afraid of him. Vlad couldn't help but feel a little surprised at this. Her outfit suggested she'd been dead for several centuries after all, and one found it hard to exist in the Ghost Zone without learning some way to defend themselves…

"Actually Milord, Spectra and I have only spoken a handful of times." The girl corrected timidly. "I'm afraid I don't know her all that well…"

"I see…" Vlad said, his tone carefully bland. "Well then, I trust she's told you about my situation?"

"Yes, Lord Plasmius." The ghost said respectfully. Vlad smirked a little at that. He rather liked being referred to as 'Lord…'

"Then you know what would be expected of you, if I did leave my son in your care, correct?" Plasmius asked coolly. "You realize what would happen if he was ever hurt or kidnapped or anything of the sort?"

"Of course, Milord." The girl seemed even more nervous now, practically cowering under Vlad's glare.

_Where did Spectra find this girl?_ Vlad wondered dryly.

"Do you know how to take care of a child, girl?" Vlad asked out loud, folding his hands and resting his chin on top as he leaned forward to watch the ghost carefully.

"Yes, Lord Plasmius." She answered dutifully. "I often helped look after the children in the castle. It was always something I liked to do, and my brother left me alone whenever I was with them… He has no patience for children, you see." Vlad felt his eyebrow raise at that.

"Brother?" he pressed, becoming more interested when the girl visibly flinched at the question.

"Ah, yes Milord…" She said reluctantly. "The ruler of Medieval Ghost Zone, Prince Aragon." Now it was Vlad's turn to flinch.

He's met Aragon a few times in the past, and found him to be entirely too arrogant and spoiled. A simpering and idiotic fool who believed his birthright entitled him to getting what he wanted the moment he decided he wanted it, despite the fact that he often lost interest in whatever it was not long after he obtained it.

Aragon had never learned the true meaning of hard work, since basically everything was always presented to him on a silver platter. As a man who had single-handedly built and run a great company that expended not only in the Human World, but the Ghost Zone as well, Vlad never could stand pampered idiots like Aragon…

Still, Aragon's family did have a great power passed down through their line, the Amulets of Aragon, which were only worn by the royal members of Medieval Ghost Zone. Amulets that held great power, if what he'd heard was to be believed…

The gold and green necklace at her neck catching the half ghost's eye, Vlad recalled having heard something about Aragon having a younger sister after all… A timid princess, often bossed around by her brother…

"What's your name?" the girl jumped slightly, looking surprised at the question.

"Dora, Lord Plasmius." She answered hesitantly, sounding a little confused.

"Well Dora, I've decided to give you a chance." Vlad said, leaning back in his chair. "I'll let you watch my son for me for now… though if anything happens to him…" Vlad trailed off, letting the threat hang in the air.

"I have no intentions of letting your son get hurt, Lord Plasmius." Dora assured him quickly, looking a little frightened.

"Good." Vlad responded, nodding. "Now leave. I have some loose tends to tie up here before I hand Daniel over to your care… have Skulker give you a tour of the castle for now and come back when you've finished. By then, I'll have drawn up a list of everything you need to keep in mind as you look after my son."

"Yes, sir." Dora said, bowing submissively. "Thank you for this opportunity, Lord Plasmius." Then, apparently relieved to be released from the half ghost's presence, Dora quickly left the room. Ignoring this, Vlad turned to Daniel, snoozing precariously in his baby swing

_This may prove beneficial in the long run…_ Vlad thought to himself, absently brushing his son's fine black hair. Smiling softly at the sleeping child, Vlad turned back to his desk to get to work on his list for Dora…

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**WoM-** _**Poor Skulker… I feel like I'm being too mean to him here.** 'giggles shamelessly' Spectra **and Dora have now officially been introduced, at any rate, so now this story can really get on the ball! Look for the next update after I update MoC! Until then, people!**_

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**Thanks to;**

Shewhodanceswithdragons, SilverstarsEbonyskies, Nolay, AkoyaMizuno, Sparky the Wonder Weasel, The Person Who Rights, XxMidnightWolfxX, Jimmy the Gothic Egg, emotigone crazy, KelseyAlicia, Sakurako Minase, Boongdaba, Samantha-Girl Scout, Soultail Omega-Light, CharmedNightSkye, gabriella phantom, SquirrelGirl13, Warrior of winds, Beyonce's Angel925, dPhantoMfreak, Firefury, Anne Camp aka Obi-quiet, Gmasangel, Hunter097, Gadget14, SevenStar, Neo Yi, Althea Astera Renata, Invader Johnny, Baka Hanyou Rahvin, midnightpyro, katiesparks, Unrealistic, Angel Frog, Zuzanny, silvermoonphantom, Redwind, Balkoth, Firehedgehog, KaliAnn, darkmidnight627, conan98002, LuvrOfAnime, Leppers, Alias Apparition, epobbp, Light Dragon SunsSong, Lumias, Sasia, DPRRluvJ13MM, ur1crazedupfruitloop, Serena the Hikari of Love, Rob Phantom, Chaos inducer, BarnOwl93, Kyasarin-Maarukeehii1, Nolay, dArkliTe-sPirit, Evelyn Lucia, jjk89115, horsie890, Jessica01, Hiei's Cute Girl, Alana-StarSugarCat, ladyleela, Boongdaba, Gadget14, Unrealistic, Sasia, ladyleela


	4. Little Badger

**WoM- _I know, I know, I'm not following my update pattern… but StarofTwilight45 asked me for this update in exchange for winning a contest I was running over at DA. My updates are probably gonna be a little weirder now, since three of my ongoing stories are being turned into comics (Apprenticeship, Moments of Clarity and Outta this World. Unmasked is too, but that's already done, so there's no worries there) And I'll be needing to supply those artists with more material._**

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"Never raise your hands to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected."

_**-Red Buttons**_

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**Little Badger**

In three years, any number of things could happen. For example, three years is enough time for a company like Vlad Co. to nearly double in size, now controlling everything from nuclear technology to toothpaste companies. Three years is also enough time for Vlad to brush up on his Ghost Zone history in his spare time (which seemed to be getting rarer and rarer lately…) and discover the legend of Pariah Dark, the Ring of Rage and the Crown of Fire.

And three years is also enough time for Danny to go from what Skulker classified as a 'wailing little pest' to 'an insolent brat on a permanent sugar rush.'

"Master Danny?" Dora called helplessly as she floated down the halls, twisting around in hopes of catching a glimpse of the elusive boy. "Master Danny!"

"Lost him again?" Dora cringed at the voice, though the tone was a mix between sympathetic and amused.

"I didn't mean to!" She protested hastily, worried about the consequences if the incident reached Vlad. "And I've already checked all his usual hiding spots! I only turned my back for a second…" She sighed helplessly to Bertrand, who smiled ruefully.

"That's a second too long when you're dealing with a toddler who can walk through walls, Princess." He responded, shifting the boxes of files in his arms. "You should know that by now."

"I thought he was tired." Dora defended herself, frowning at Bertrand, "I was putting him down for a nap when Technus came in and started going on about some invention or another and by the time he left, Danny was already gone!"

"Does anyone else know he's wandering around?" Bertrand asked.

"No." Dora said, pursing her lips. "And if Skulker or one of the vultures had found him, he would have returned him to me immediately."

"True." Bertrand nodded. "Ah well, he'll turn up eventually. Don't know why you're so worried, Princess… It's not the first time the kid split on you."

"That's not it…" Dora hesitated, looking abashed. "It's just… well… Sir Walker's due for another visit with Lord Plasmius today." Bertrand winced here, seeing Dora's problem at last.

Walker was the warden of the Ghost Zone's prison, a rule-happy military nut who disliked not being in control of any given situation. He and Vlad had a contract of sorts, where Vlad supplied Walker and his men with advanced weapons and armor developed by Skulker and Technus in exchange for information and the ability to move about the Ghost Zone freely.

Despite that though, relations between the businessman and the warden had always been strained at best. Neither of them fully trusted their 'business partner' and both would betray the other the first opportunity they got. In fact, for the longest time Walker was convinced there was no one in existence, human, ghost or otherwise, he could dislike more then Vlad.

Then he met Danny.

"Considering how energetic Master Danny's been lately, I felt it would be best to keep him on his floor, where there wasn't a chance of him running into Sir Walker." Dora explained in a desperate tone. "That is probably the best course of action, given how badly their last meeting went…"

"Well, I'm not so sure I'd call it 'bad.'" Bertrand said with a rather impish smile. "I mean, how many people can say they saw the might Walker covered from head to toe in silly string and drenched from water balloons? Spectra still brings the photos out whenever someone needs a laugh…"

"I still don't want Master Danny running into him again, especially when Lord Plasmius isn't right there to protect him…" Bertrand scoffed at that.

"You worry too much, Princess." He told her dryly.

In all actuality, that was a drastic understatement. Though Dora was reluctant when she first took the job as Danny's caretaker, she'd quickly grown attached to the infant, and could now fuss over him in ways that would astound even the most overprotective of mothers.

_Between her and Plasmius, it's a wonder the kid isn't growing up in a padded room…_ Bertrand thought dryly.

"I'll keep an eye open and call you if I see him." Bertrand said out loud as he turned and continued on his way.

Walking down the halls, Bertrand chuckled and shook his head as the sounds of Dora's fretting followed him. It was clear the princess was starting to get stressed, something she usually avoided since it turned her into her dragon form…

That thought more then anything convinced Bertrand to quicken his pace back to Spectra's office. Somehow, the thought of dealing with an angry Ghost Dragon was unappealing to the shape shifter.

After heading up two flights of stairs to the higher levels of the castle, Bertrand slowed down a little, his attention wandering to the pictures lining the walls. Three years had had just as heavy an impact on them as it had the ghosts (And half ghosts) living within those walls.

Before Danny, most of the decorations consisted of a smirking Masters or some bizarre Packers paraphernalia. Now though, a slightly chubby toddler beamed down at Bertrand in every direction he turned, and crayon drawings were framed with all the care of a DeVinchi masterpiece.

Who would have thought that a ruthless businessman and merciless tyrant would turn into the world's most affectionate Daddy? Bertrand wondered as he entered Spectra's office.

"I don't care what that idiot said, if you have the new software ready for presentation in three day you're fired! Mr. Masters doesn't give second chances, Ishimura, and he doesn't settle for second best. Understand? Good. Now get back to work before Mr. Masters finds out about your lack of progress." Hanging the phone up, Spectra chuckled as she sat back in her chair. "Humans are so much fun when they're squirming…"

"Here are those reports you need." Bertrand said, setting the box on the desk and ignoring the woman's sadistic remark. "And you wouldn't happen to have anything to do with the kid's most recent disappearance, do you? Vlad ain't gonna be happy if she levels half the castle looking for him again…"

"Danny got out?" Spectra asked, arching an eyebrow in open amusement. "That makes the fifth time this week…"

"He's getting better at hiding, too." Bertrand said absently. "Dora said she checked all the usual spots already." Spectra chuckled.

"I don't think you're giving the boy enough credit." She said with a smirk. "Danny's only found when he's good and ready to be found, never before." Spectra couldn't fully disguise her smug tone as she said this, betraying her affections towards the mischievous toddler.

Despite Vlad's insistence that he didn't want his son in the same room as the shrewd psychiatrist, 'Auntie Spectra' had become one of Danny's favorite people to play with. 'Nanny Dora' was also on that list along with 'Uncle Skulker.' (Much to the hunter's dismay.) Still, as fun as these playmates were for young Danny Masters, none of them could ever replace the center of the young boy's sheltered world…

Before this line of thought could be continued though, Spectra's door swung open once again, this time admitting a very smug looking Vlad Masters followed by an impatient Walker.

"Spectra." Vlad drawled out. "Would you please find the contract Walker and I signed at our last meeting. There seems to be some dispute about the payment methods we agreed on."

"Oh?" Spectra said, amused.

"I don't care what you say, Plasmius." Walker growled out. "I would never agree to let you have access to Pariah's castle!"

"Actually, you agreed to just that." Spectra said innocently, fishing out a piece of paper from the box Bertrand had brought her. "It's right here, underneath the agreed deadline for your weapons."

"I assure you Walker, I have no intention of reviving Pariah. I merely hope to settle my curiosity about a few matters that have caught my interest of late." Walker muttered bitterly for a moment before sighing.

"Fine!" He barked out. "But if I find out you're poking around in places you shouldn't be, no amount of wordplay contracts will stop me from locking you up for a long, _long_ time!"

"Very well then." Vlad said smoothly. "Shall we continue to the lab?"

Walker grumbled to himself as he left the room, Vlad following at a leisurely pace. Idly, the billionaire wondered how much longer this would take. He still had to talk to Skulker later on, after all, and not to mention checking up on Daniel's ever progressive powers.

_It won't be much longer before I can start training him._ Vlad thought smugly, proud of the way his son was adapting so quickly to powers that'd taken him years to prefect. But then, maybe his youth had something to do with that…

"Master Danny! Wait, don't--!"

"YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!" His blood freezing in his veins, Vlad snapped around to focus his wide-eyed gaze at the top of the master stairway, where his son could be seen sledding on one of Vlad extremely expensive silver platters.

Too stunned to stop him, Vlad could only watch in horror as the three year old slid downwards, bowling over anyone who couldn't get out of his way. Which, Vlad noted with a cringe, included the rule-happy sheriff of the Ghost Zone.

"Master Danny, are you alright?" Dora asked when she's finally caught up to where the boy had slid to a stop by the front door. Vlad sighed as he went to his son's side as well, giving the boy a pointed look that'd become far too familiar to the child. Wincing, Danny summed up how deeply he was in trouble the best way his three year old vocabulary knew how.

"Uh-oh…"

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"Damaging a two million dollar platter, running over one of the most dangerous men in the Ghost Zone, sneaking away from Dora, stealing cookies in the kitchen and nearly getting yourself killed." Vlad counted off to his son, who was sitting on his bed with his shoulders hunched with guilt. "Is there anything you have to say for yourself, young man?"

"Sorry Daddy…" Danny muttered, kicking at his bed frame with a heel before looking up at Vlad with his big blue eyes, giving him the 'I'm too cute to stay mad at' look that the boy had down to an art form.

It took all of Vlad's composure to fight down a smile.

"'Sorry' isn't good enough, Daniel." Vlad said sternly. "What if you'd hurt someone, hmm? Or if you got hurt yourself?" That last thought killed any chance of Danny's look winning him over. After all, Vlad wouldn't know what to do if Danny got hurt too severely for the private doctors to handle. "Did you ever stop and think of that, Daniel?"

"No…" Danny said, looking more and more guilt ridden by the second. Sighing, Vlad took a seat next to his son and hugged the boy close.

"You have to understand Daniel, I wouldn't know what to do if I ever lost you." He said softly.

"Then how come you're always too busy with work play with me?" Danny asked with watery eyes. "And then when I do see you, you're too tired to play!"

That one hit Vlad where it hurt.

The truth was, he had been a little too obsessive over finding out more about the Pariah myth for the past month or so, and hadn't been spending nearly as much time with his son as he usually did. He didn't think the boy would mind as much, given the fact that he could always hunt down any number of Vlad's employees to play with, but apparently he was wrong.

"I'm sorry…" Vlad said, tousling the boy's hair. "I guess I have been busy lately, haven't I? Why don't we go away this weekend to the vacation home in Colorado, just the two of us? Spectra can handle the business for a weekend…"

"Really?" Danny said, his face glowing at the promise of one-on-one time with his father.

"Yep." Vlad nodded sagely. "And I'll even start teaching you to fight, just like Daddy does."

"_Really!_" Squealing, Danny threw his arms around his father. Vlad laughed as he returned the hug, happy that his son thought so highly of him.

"But you have to promise you'll be good for the rest of the week." Vlad added sternly when his son pulled away. "Do everything Dora tells you to, okay?"

"'Kay!" Danny promised with a vigorous nod.

"Good. Now it's past your nap time, little badger." Giggling, Danny scooted to duck underneath the covers, too eager for the trip with his father to do anything wrong. Vlad laughed slightly as he picked up the stuffed Badger he'd bought for Danny years ago. (Which was constantly being re-stitched due to all the wear and tear it'd endured.) Handing it to Danny, who took it eagerly, Vlad kissed his son on the forehead and rose to his feet.

"Wait!" Danny called out. "You forgot Bee-Bee." Vlad smiled as his son thrusted the neglected plushy forward.

"Dear me." The half ghost said in mock alarm, sitting back down on the bed. "I did now, didn't I?" Taking the toy, Vlad pecked it good-night as well before returning it to his son, who was now content and clearly drained. "Pleasant dreams, little badger…"

Leaving the room, Vlad shut the door softly behind him, smiling at the sight of his son cuddling Bee-Bee as the boy drifted off to sleep. Chuckling to himself, Vlad started away from Danny's room, already making plans for their vacation to the Rockies.

He was halfway down the stairs when his senses alerted him to the presence of a ghost.

"Boss!" Skulker said as he phased through the wall, turning visible as he landed. "I have those reports you wanted."

"Good." Vlad nodded. "Let's hear them."

"You were right about Axion Lab having the technology you need." Skulker said, nodding. "But they have a lot of anti-ghost security, so stealing it may prove a challenge." Vlad frowned at that.

"Anti-ghost security?" he repeated sharply. "Why would they have that?"

"There's a natural portal in Amity Park, much more consisted them most." Skulker explained with a shrug. "Apparently, ghosts have been taking advantage of it."

"A natural portal?" Vlad repeated, frowning. Nothing like that had existed when he'd gone to Amity Park three years ago…

_The explosion must've helped create it._ Vlad realized grimly.

"I see… Look into the matter of this portal more. I'll get Spectra to work on buying out Axion Labs."

"Yes sir." Skulker said with a curt nod, phasing down to the basement to return to the Ghost Zone.

_It seems there are a few loose ends in Amity Park that need to be tied up…_ Vlad though grimly, looking back towards his son's room. For the first time in a while, Vlad wondered what Maddie would think of the little ball of energy he'd raised…

Shoving that thought away, Vlad continued towards his office.

_It doesn't matter anymore._ He thought curtly. _Daniel is my son now, and nothing in the world will take him away from me._

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**WoM- _:D That's all for now! Next chapter'll be drenched in father/son fluff, though, so stay tuned! (And don't worry, that update won't take nearly as long )_**

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**Thanks to-**

dragongirl k, SquirrelGirl13, KelseyAlicia, Boongdaba, Wanderer of Darkness, StarsOfTwilight, katiesparks, Yami-chan and Unrealistic, Cold-heart-Angel23, Othello101, Catadmin, Quacked Lurker, Jimmy the Gothic Egg, Serena the Hikari of Love, dtechno, Inumaru12, Icepaw, Storm Dragon Girl, Sapphire Wolf Master, phantomshadowdragon, Tevagirl 16, tenamanda1988, Danny Phantom Phanatic, WTFWonder, bloodmoon13, dfd, kitty-lover66, medusa750

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Next Update- Outta This World Ch 4 (Please allow for another day or two .)


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